Cholesterol lowering choices such as soy, nuts and plant-based options might be better at bringing down cholesterol than the traditional low fat eating plan.

This comes from a brand new study that found that those suffering from high cholesterol and followed what’s been termed the portfolio diet (a selection of foods that lower cholesterol) brought down their bad cholesterol (low density lipoprotein or LDL) by almost 13% after 6 months of sticking to the diet.

This compares to a 3% drop in LDL for those who stuck to a diet that was low in saturated fats.

We know that as those cholesterol numbers go up, so does the risk of dangerous disease, especially heart disease. Experts used to think that most of us couldn’t alter our cholesterol numbers with diet alone, but that belief is changing quickly.

When it comes to the portfolio diet, experts suggest you think of the eating plan not as a “diet” but rather more like an investment in cholesterol lowering foods.